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"And if today we would visit these properties I have seen real estate advertisements in the press ? " Peter asked by a Sunday morning in late May, between sun and rain. Monika had other plans, but why not. Without delay, they hit the road. Watercolour landscapes succeed, of showers in clouds.
Soon as it pours, they arrive in the town where the agency is located, and go lunch until time appointment. The restaurant is full, loud and they play skate swimming in its butter. Later, the sun returned, they visit a first place, which is more or less, what they want. They are not really excited and reluctant to speak.
The real estate agent proposes show them a farm that has just been put up for sale by its owners. According to him, it should match what they are looking for. Between the clouds very grey, sun filter for short and shines bright green countryside where laburnum brighten hedgerows. Despite the storm threatens, the atmosphere is of a calm Sunday afternoon. Hedges in bloom perfume roads and delight their eyes townspeople.
At the end of a path lined with fields surrounded by hedges, they discover a barn, stables extending housing. The place seems strangely peaceful as sleep. A farm, vacant for several years, where it remained here and there, everyday objects that have forgotten, or left behind : the Sleeping Beauty.
Intrigued and interested, they follow the realtor inside buildings, in good condition in some places, dilapidated in others. The facilities of the house are rough and shabby, but the rooms have interesting volumes and dependencies are spacious, the way they want.
They are outside the house, looking at the state of the roof, when the storm, which turned over their heads for a while, broke out in a heavy rain. They run to shelter in barns, they discovered, crowded
While the rain waters the surrounding countryside, they discuss with the realtor about conditions. These are quite okay, although a little high, the property is what they want, so they decided to stop the case.
As soon as the rain stops, they return to the car and go to the village to the agency. There, they encounter other agents, talk about the region, ownership and conditions and finalize the compromise. They then offered to help for steps on funding.
After leaving the premises of the agency, they return to the property to take some pins. On the way back, they are happy, relieved to end a long period of research. They compare this place to everyone they had visited. They want, somehow, to be sure of making the right choice.
A few weeks later, they go to the local bank branch where they receive a warm welcome, a priori favourable. People of the estate agency, such as the bank, appear to have sufficiently understood their project to be favourable. In any case, this is the impression they tend to give them !
They are delighted to see the case so committed : as long as it lasts ! It is now several months they are looking for a property of this type : residential buildings to renovate, with outbuildings and thirty acres of land and meadows. At first, they directed their research to other regions where they loved landscapes, towns.
At various times, they found places that suited them, who had seduced. Each time they had hoped, consisting of records taken many steps ... without success ! Alternatively, vendors changed suddenly notice or their banks asked guarantees over the mortgage attached to the loan, or does not give a result for various reasons, or the seller received a better offer ...
Then there was the announcement that Peter had found, almost by accident, they did not intend to explore in this region. However, the location is about the equivalent distances and transport possibilities, to the places where they had planned opportunities. Simply, they preferred other places.
Since long, they had conceived the idea of moving to the countryside to develop an agricultural, not industrial, but rather a continuation of what they have known in the past : a qualitative production in harmony with nature.
Neither environmentalists, nor sixty-eighties nostalgic, they wanted a quiet life, away from the crowds and stress of big cities. They wanted their son to know anything other than asphalt and concrete. They had so many projects !
They did not expect to make a fortune, but simply to live in a place they wanted to restore and develop to make it enjoyable, their idea. They just wanted to nature, a home for them, to see their son grow. Nothing extraordinary, in fact.
It was many months they had developed their project, developed various possible scenarios, and then they were documented and trained as agriculture, management, etc. In parallel, they pondered the possibilities of marketing their future production. They were considering different types of markets, and then they studied the conditions, advantages and disadvantages.
Of course, to define market opportunities, they were interested in markets, they learned from professionals. For a time, one of them worked with a company wholesale and semi-wholesale. This allowed them to better understand the market opportunities and make contacts.
Little by little, month after month, their project had taken shape, they began to develop the first trading accounts in their forecasts based on various scenarios. One of them would keep his business, to finance the start farming, and loan repayments.
To this end, they organized themselves so that other occupation evolves better, depending on the market when the wearer. One invests in this service activity to companies in prospecting, designing and developing products and services, while the other is actively preparing for the implementation of the agricultural project.
They then defined the criteria by which they would start looking for a property. They agreed, first, to a maximum radius on the distance to Paris because of the constraints of the existing business, but also uncorked the potential to create.
Then they began to explore, to get an idea of prices in different regions considered. Afterwards, they had calculated their ability for to repay the loan. This first step had brought them to remove regions from those they had chosen, where selling prices were higher than their budget.
When their research was targeted, they began to follow the ads, see agencies, visit, etc. At the same time, they had saved, to be a contribution and provide the notary. This period is extended over several months, with disappointment when their business interest not successful, a lot of travelling, approaches. In short, the usual batch of any candidate for property: you can find the perfect the first time or after a long search !
Thus, a rainy Sunday last May, they visited the property, in principia, they would acquired in an area that does not attract them initially. By visiting this place, they had a sense of neutrality, as if waiting. They have not stopped this case a blow of heart, but rather because, objectively, it matched their criteria.
Curiously, when their previous efforts, the places that they were seduced made them more enthusiastic, as they had really fought to lead the business. However, the farm and the land surrounding it, is just as attractive, as well as the region where it is located. They feel confusedly, this shift, but they do not speak.
The agricultural project is now turning, as they adapt elements they studied for their future property, at least they hope. They include cereal crops, to provide food for livestock and build a bankroll. The stables will accommodate a breeding rabbits. They can make some adjustments to establish a poultry farm, for which they already have an idea of races, with their characteristics and needs.
For small clams facing buildings, they can use to turn it to graze a few cattle. On the other side of the building, a small wood surrounded by meadows lend itself to the installation of some sheep. Half of the property is in some meadows are planted with fruit trees, which portends great spring.
Everything is there for them to reach a quality production, diversified, for which they have a demand for professionals, such as restaurateurs, but also individuals. They also plan to expand the pond fed by springs, then afforested some places little use. This property, complete with many hedges, which thrive naturally many species, is also full of game.
Of course, they are aware that not everything will happen all at once, so they spread every aspect of the project in time. Firstly, they need to make the house habitable, clean dependencies, to make a more specific point about the work needed, and their chronology.
In a second step, they can start breeding rabbits and poultry, while ensuring the first renovation. The first campaigns of crops that can be conducted, thereafter, depending on the season, after which they could acquire sheep and cattle.
For now, they are waiting for the decision of the bank. Even though their record was welcomed, they know that it is not won so far ! The experience of previous attempts showed it to them, they are not immune to a change ...
To deceive their expectations, they opt for optimism, as they hold that for a few months, or other activity that supports their daily lives and living expenses, but also the work and initial investment in spreading them.
For now, the time is right to business consulting activities and prospects are promising. Current contracts cover a period sufficient to ensure the necessary funds to start agricultural activity.
After that, if hollow months were to follow, revenues generated by the first production would be sufficient to ensure deadlines and expenses. They continue their efforts to ensure that this is not the case, eager to provide means for the following phases of the project. They also have some ideas in their boxes, they want to implement later, where farming is operational and profitable enough.
They do not lose sight of the commercial aspects, as well as communication to publicize their activities and products. For example, as part of the service activity, they could offer seminars to be held in buildings to renovate rooms including landscaping. These rooms can also host exhibitions, various events, ... For example !